The invention relates to a cartridge for containing material in paste form, having a cylindrical container unit, an outlet tip with an outlet passage at one end of the container at an angle to its axis, a cap protecting the outlet nozzle, a fastening means disposed at the second end of the cylindrical container unit and provided for attaching the cartridge to an ejector device, and having a piston which has a cylindrical outer surface and is disposed for movement lengthwise of the cartridge so as to eject the paste material. The invention furthermore relates to a cap to protect a cartridge and an ejector device for manipulating the cartridge.
Such cartridges and corresponding ejectors are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,590. These cartridges serve for the dispensing of dental material by the dentist. A filling material for teeth, for example, is loaded into the cartridge. The cartridge is placed in an ejector device whereby the material is forced out of the cartridge with a piston, into a tooth cavity for example. For this purpose the known cartridge has a mounting flange with which it is held in the ejector device. The cartridge itself has an outlet tip which is closed with a cap. The back end of the cartridge is closed by a piston. The mounting of such a cartridge is relatively complicated, because the force required for the ejection of the dental material has to be withstood by the relatively small flange. To insert the cartridge into an ejector device, the cartridge has to be grasped by the dentist or by an assistant, with the result that germs can be transferred to its surface. Since such cartridges are held by their cylindrical barrel, any germs on the ejector device can be transferred directly onto the cartridge, and can pass from there into the patient's mouth.